Space Awareness
Young Scientist Programme (Yuvika)

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Yuvika)

What's the NEWS

• Indian Space Research Organisation has launched a special programme for School Children called "Young Scientist Programme" "YUva VIgyani KAryakram" (युविका) from this year, in tune with the Government's vision "Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan".

Know! about the programme

• The Program is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger ones with the intent of arousing their interest in the emerging areas of Space activities.

• The program is thus aimed at creating awareness amongst the youngsters who are the future building blocks of our Nation.

• This will further help them to appreciate what they are being taught in the school and its real application in Space Science & Technology. ISRO has chalked out this programme to "Catch them young".

• The programme will be of around two weeks duration during summer holidays and the schedule will include invited talks, experience sharing by the eminent scientists, facility and lab visits, exclusive sessions for discussions with experts, practical and feedback sessions.

• It is proposed to select 3 students each from each State/ Union Territory to participate in this programme every year covering CBSE, ICSE and State syllabus. Those who have finished 8th standard and currently studying in 9th standard will be eligible for the programme.

• The selection is based on the academic performance and extracurricular activities, which is clearly mentioned in the selection criteria already circulated to Chief Secretaries of States/ Administrators of UTs. Students belong to the rural area have been given special weightage in the selection criteria.

Defence
Induction of Chinook Helicopters in Indian Air Force

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Chinook)

What's the NEWS
• The IAF formally inducted the CH 47 F(I)- Chinook heavy lift helicopters into its inventory at Air Force Station Chandigarh.

• IAF had signed a contract with M/s Boeing Ltd in September 2015 for 15 Chinook helicopters.

• The first batch of four helicopters has been delivered on schedule and the last batch is to be delivered by March next year.

• These helicopters will be deployed in the Northern and Eastern regions of India.

Know! more about Chinook
• The addition of heavy-lift CH 47 F(I) helicopter is a significant step towards modernisation of Indian Air Force's helicopter fleet.

• The helicopter has been customized to suit IAF's future requirements and capability roadmap.

• The helicopter has a fully integrated digital cockpit management system, advanced cargo handling capabilities and electronic warfare suite that complement the aircraft's performance.

• The helicopter is capable of airlifting diverse military and non military loads into remote locations.

• The aircraft is all-weather capable and state-of-the-art night vision goggles will permit all operations even at night, he informed.

• The Chinook, with its operating ceiling of 20,000 feet, will redefine heli-lift not only in operations like inter-valley transport of troops, airlifting artillery guns and heavy under slung loads for the Border Roads Organisation, but also for humanitarian assistance

International Organisations
Japan gives UN World Food Programme $69m
Relevance IN - Prelims( about UN's WEF programme)

What's the NEWS
• Japan has donated 69 million dollars to the United Nations World Food Programme to provide vital aid to 28 countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with the biggest shares of the money earmarked for Yemen and Iraq, WFP said Thursday in a statement.

Know! about United Nation's World Food Programme

• The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.

• According to the WFP, it provides food assistance to an average of 91.4 million people in 83 countries each year.

• From its headquarters in Rome and from more than 80 country offices around the world, the WFP works to help people who cannot produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group

Know! about the inception of WEP
• In the 1960 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference, there were calls for setting up a multilateral food aid programme.

• In line these demands, the World Food Programme was established in 1961 by the FAO and the United Nations General Assembly.

• The Food for Work programmes of the World Food Programme promotes environmental and economic stability and agricultural production.

• The World Food Programme strives to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, with the ultimate goal to eliminate the need for food aid itself.

• The objectives of the World Food Programme are: Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies. Support food security and nutrition and (re)build livelihoods in fragile settings and following emergencies.

• Reduce risk and enable people, communities and countries to meet their own food and nutrition needs. Reduce under-nutrition and break the intergenerational cycle of hunger.

• Zero Hunger in 2030. World Food Programme also aims to fight micronutrient deficiencies, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, and combat disease, including HIV and AIDS

Environment Conservation
World Meteorological Day 2019

What's the NEWS
• The World Meteorological Day was observed on March 23

Know! about the theme

• The theme "The Sun, the Earth and the weather". The theme recognises the critical role the Earth's nearest star plays in what transpires on the planet.

• The energy from the Sun is taken up by all life forms to perform their biological functions. The Solar energy also regulates global climate, which, in turn, influences local weather conditions and the same energy is also absorbed by the oceans which carry it around the planet, creating further conditions for diverse marine life to exist.

World Meteorological Day
• World Meteorological Day is observed on March 23rd every year to commemorate the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950.

• The World Meteorological Day showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world.

• WMO provides world leadership and expertise for international cooperation in the delivery and use of high quality, authoritative weather, climate, hydrological and related environmental services by its Members, for the improvement of the well-being of societies of all nations.

International Conventions
World Tuberculosis Day 2019

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about World TB day ) + Mains ( GS II issues relating to development and management of social sector/services relating to health)

What's the NEWS
• Each year, we commemorate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.
• The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.

Know! some statics about TB
• TB remains the world's deadliest infectious killer. Each day, nearly 4500 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease.

• Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 54 million lives since the year 2000 and reduced the TB mortality rate by 42%.

• To accelerate the TB response in countries to reach targets - Heads of State came together and made strong commitments to end TB at the first-ever UN High Level Meeting in September 2018.

• The theme of World TB Day 2019 - ‘It's time' - puts the accent on the urgency to act on the commitments made by global leaders

• The theme of World Tuberculosis Day this year is "It's Time". Consistent with the spirit of this theme, India has renewed its commitments and intentions to end TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global targets.

• This is an ambitious timeline and, given our motivation to eliminate the disease, it is achievable.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a joint initiative "Find. Treat. All. #EndTB" with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership, with the aim of accelerating the TB response and ensuring access to care, in line with WHO's overall drive towards Universal Health Coverage.
Know! about TB
• Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).

• Tuberculosis affects the lungs and can also infect other parts of the body.

• Early symptoms of TB include bad cough which lasts for 3 weeks or longer. It causes pain in the chest and one might also end up coughing blood in case of tuberculosis

Prelims Practise Question

Consider the following statements
1. The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.

2. World Meteorological Day is observed on March 23rd every year to commemorate the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950.

3. Indian Space Research Organisation has launched a special programme for college pass out students called "Young Scientist Programme" "YUva VIgyani KAryakram" from this year, in tune with the Government's vision "Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan".

Consider the following statements and find the correct one from the options given below
a. 1 and 3
b. 1 and 2
c. 2 and 3
d. All

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